Donald Trump left Harrison Butker red-faced on Thursday after telling the Kansas City Chiefs star he’s a ‘good-looking sucker’ during a speech at the White House.
Butker was one of several professional athletes invited to the White House by Trump for an executive order signing that will reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test – an initiative to promote young Americans staying active and healthy.
As well as the Chiefs kicker, golfer Bryson DeChambeau, WWE icon Triple H and former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor were also in attendance for the signing.
Every athlete was given the chance to speak at the White House after being introduced by Trump, and Butker received some awkward praise from the president on the day.
As well as calling him ‘the best in the business’ when it comes to kicking, Trump turned around and told Butker in a bizarre moment: ‘You’re a handsome guy, by the way. It’s usually not my thing, but he is a good looking sucker’.
The embarrassed NFL player couldn’t help but laugh along with the rest of the room in a moment which quickly went viral online.
Donald Trump left Harrison Butker red-faced after telling him he’s a ‘good-looking sucker’
Butker, who has claimed three Super Bowl rings during his eight-year career with the Chiefs, sparked controversy last year when he referred to women as ‘homemakers’ in a contentious speech at Benedictine College.
The Georgia-born kicker also hit out at the LGBTQ+ community and Joe Biden’s pro-abortion stance when addressing students at the college, which divided opinion across America.
Trump gushing over Butker’s looks was not the only part of his speech which garnered attention on Thursday, nevertheless.
The 79-year-old found himself tongue-tied at one point as he attempted to pronounce Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s last name, which is pronounced ‘Tun-go-val-oa.’
He sounded out the last name of the signal caller, who is of Samoan descent, before butchering it anyway and pronouncing it ‘Ta-go-valiah.’
‘ Tua… Tag-o-valiah, the quarterback who has really been fantastic,’ Trump said. ‘When he’s not injured, he’s great. He’s got to stay healthy. But he’s a great guy.’
Trump signed executive orders as Butker and his fellow athletes watched on before lating passed out souvenir pens.
The Chiefs kicker was one of several athletes at the White House on Thursday as Trump signed an executive order to reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test
Butker is a three-time Super Bowl winner after spending the last eight years with Kansas City
First established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966, the Presidential Fitness Test created a program to reward excellence in physical education.
Participants would typically run, do sit-ups, pull-ups and push-ups to compete. Other activities in the test included running, jumping, a 50-yard dash, and a softball throw.
Former president Barack Obama ended the test in 2012, replacing it with a more tailored assessment on individual health rather that physical feats.
‘President Trump wants every young American to have the opportunity to emphasize healthy, active lifestyles — creating a culture of strength and excellence for years to come,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to reporters.
